1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of aviation dealing with missiles and military attack airplanes.
The aim of this invention is to provide an aircraft that has higher chance of surviving attacks from anti-aircraft weapons when flying over enemy territory than aircraft currently in use. The aircraft according to this invention is fitted with a mechanism that enables the aircraft to travel in a continuous spiralling motion while flying over enemy teritorry, without the need for a pilot to make continues control adjustments. The mechanism is such that once activated, the spiralling motion is automatic. The mechanism can aslo be dis-engaged by a pilot when so desired. The spiralling motion is achieved during flight without having to roll the aircraft.
While a pilot flying a conventional aircraft such as a jet fighter could make the conventional aircraft fly in a spiralling motion, this could only be achieved if the pilot kept making continuous control changes with his own arm. This could become quite tiresome and strenuous after a while and would require continued concentration, if the spiralling was achieved without rolling the aircraft. Rolling the aircraft, as in the form of a barrel roll, may seem like an easy alternative, but continuous rolling would make a pilot dizzy after a while, leading to loss of control, and if close to the ground, a potential for a crash. A continuous rolling motion would also make it hard for the pilot to observe enemy territory, navigate and make target selection. That is, using a sustained rolling motion in order to achieve a prolonged spiralling motion would not be practical.
The aircraft in this invention would allow the pilot to operate conventional controls in a conventional manner, as when flying in a smooth manner, while the aircraft continued to travel in a spiralling motion. The advantage of this is that the pilot would be able to continue to observe enemy territory and would be free to concentrate on targeting enemy sites while the aircraft flew in an evasive manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,243 in the name of Stoy shows a missile with variable pitch fins on a rotatable tube that are moved by independent actuators, and a computer to control the operation of the actuators. While the intention of Stoy wasn't to provide a missile that could travel in a continuous spiralling motion, such a motion could be achieved by the missile shown in Stoy's patent with appropriate programming of the controlling computer. The current invention provides a mechanical means for inducing a spiralling motion in an aircraft that does not need a computer to control the position of the fins on a rotatable tube to induce a spiralling motion in the aircraft.